German published patent application DE 103 31 594 discloses a method for inspecting structures on semiconductor substrates. After an image of the semiconductor substrate has been acquired, the various structural elements are allocated to various regions. Generally, these regions are referred to as regions of interest (ROI). These ROIs may automatically be transferred to corresponding structural elements of the semiconductor substrate. Different inspections or inspections with different inspection parameters are conducted in the various ROIs corresponding to the structure of the semiconductor elements to be evaluated. This method relates to the micro-inspection of the semiconductors.
Korean Patent 100652297 B1 discloses a method for detecting nuisance defects in semiconductors. A defect on the wafer is detected by setting a manual threshold. Another defect on the wafer is discovered by modifying this threshold.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,260 discloses a device for locating and testing areas of interest on a wafer. It is often important and necessary to examine a wafer immediately after a processing step to find out whether this processing step has been carried out according to the specifications. One way to achieve this is the so-called 5-point test, in which five unpatterned regions on the wafer are approached.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2005/0117017 A1 discloses a system and a method for imaging regions of interest (ROI). A camera uses a map to find more than two regions within the field of view of a camera in an image. The map identifies selected pixels of the image located within the ROI. The image data corresponding to those of the image may be stored, and the image data corresponding to those in the ROI are processed. The camera may be integrated in an optical inspection system to analyze ROI segments on the surface of a target.